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Opportunity to Participate in Broadcasting Frequency Tender

Posted on by BLP

The Superintendence of Telecommunications (SUTEL) has published the terms and conditions for three competitive bidding procedures aimed at awarding the following broadcasting frequencies:

  • AM Radio: Bands from 525 kHz to 1705 kHz.
  • FM Radio: Bands from 88 MHz to 108 MHz.
  • Television: Segments from 174 MHz to 216 MHz and from 470 MHz to 608 MHz.

Key Features of the Tender

  • Closed-envelope bidding process.
  • Includes a bidding phase.
  • Initial concession term of 15 years, extendable up to a maximum total of 25 years.
  • Bidders may apply for national or regional concessions.
  • Regional concessions exclude the Central Region and include: Chorotega, Central Pacific, Huetar Norte, Brunca, and Huetar Caribe.
  • No operator may be awarded more than 30% of the total available frequencies.

SUTEL has opened a 40-business-day window for interested parties to submit their bids and has provided access to the bidding documents (terms and conditions are located under section 22 of each file):

  • Terms and Conditions: FM Frequencies.
  • Terms and Conditions: AM Frequencies.
  • Terms and Conditions: Television Frequencies.

Stages of the Procedure

  1. Approval of the terms and conditions.
  2. Publication of the terms and conditions.
  3. Submission of bids by potential bidders (40 business days).
  4. Evaluation of compliance with eligibility requirements (20 business days).
  5. Publication of received financial offers (1 business day).
  6. Submission of bids during the additional bidding phase (1 business day).
  7. Analysis of financial offers (5 business days).
  8. Technical project analysis and coverage area projection (33 business days).
  9. Approval of auction results by the Council and submission to MICITT (15 business days).

SUTEL has provided the following link to access the informational session on the terms and conditions: https://youtu.be/Tfg4H6j8Log

BLP offers its services, drawing on its extensive experience and knowledge, to support clients throughout all stages of these bidding procedures—from preparing proposals to the award and formalization of contracts, and later, the execution of the resulting agreements.

For more information, please contact our team at [email protected].